Project Summary This R13 conference proposal is requesting support for the 9th World Congress on Itch, to be held in Wroclaw, Poland, October 15-17, 2017. The itch congress is the biennial official meeting of the International Forum for the Study of Itch (IFSI). The aim of IFSI, and the congress, is to bring together clinicians and researchers interested in understanding basic mechanisms of itch and its management, as well as interactions between itch and pain. Itch is a common symptom in a variety of skin and systemic disorders, yet in many cases the itch is poorly managed and can become as debilitating as chronic pain to the point of severely impacting the quality of life. Hence, itch represents a universally important health problem. The main objectives of the congress are to provide an update on the underlying mechanisms of itch in relation to pain, to identify targets for improved treatment, and to stimulate research interest in itch which is an all-to-frequent clinical symptom.